This week's top stories

  • Jasmine Hansen and Jorja Pohlmeier are the chosen class representatives for the AHS Class of 2025
    Jasmine Hansen and Jorja Pohlmeier are the chosen class representatives for the AHS Class of 2025
  • Prior to becoming the principal at Hanny Arram Center for Success, Jason Owens worked for 18 years as a social science teacher with six years dedicated to Kearney High School. He also served for six years at Kearney as a high school counselor.
    Prior to becoming the principal at Hanny Arram Center for Success, Jason Owens worked for 18 years as a social science teacher with six years dedicated to Kearney High School. He also served for six years at Kearney as a high school counselor.
  • Splash of Summer 2025 is here!
    Splash of Summer 2025 is here!
  • HPC seniors Courtney Carlstrom (left) and Addison Lindburg take a quick photo together before graduation in Polk Saturday.
    HPC seniors Courtney Carlstrom (left) and Addison Lindburg take a quick photo together before graduation in Polk Saturday.
  • Tissue in hand, Hampton graduating senior Skyler Scheidemann presents her mom, Jami, with a yellow rose and then goes in for a hug during the Presentation of Flowers at Saturday’s graduation.
    Tissue in hand, Hampton graduating senior Skyler Scheidemann presents her mom, Jami, with a yellow rose and then goes in for a hug during the Presentation of Flowers at Saturday’s graduation.
  • Hampton's 1893 opera house
    Hampton's 1893 opera house
  • American history teacher Brenda Klawonn stands in front of a photo from Washington D.C., a city she visited 15 times as part of student projects like Heroes & Huskies.
    American history teacher Brenda Klawonn stands in front of a photo from Washington D.C., a city she visited 15 times as part of student projects like Heroes & Huskies.

    Aurora High School’s Class of 2025 is set to turn the tassels on Sunday, celebrating one of the final area graduation ceremonies Commencement exercises will begin at 2 p.m. in the Aurora Sports Complex. The processional will be accompanied by the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance.” Class speakers are selected through an application process. Seniors who want to be considered submit their essay, which is scored by a faculty council and the top two scores are selected to speak. This year’s class representatives will be Jasmine Hansen and Jorja Pohlmeier.

    When Hanny Arram Center for Success (HACS) opened its doors to students as part of Kearney Public Schools, Principal Jason Owens was among the new administration members eager to help build the school. “Most of the time you take a job and you inherit a building, you inherit a culture, you inherit what was left before you. I actually got to create this,” the Aurora native said. “It’s not very often in your educational career that you get to create a school and the programming for something and you get to build your own culture, which has been fabulous.”

    Located at 2260 N Road west of Marquette, Prairie Paws offers a place for dog owners to have their furry friends safe and sound while they are away. Keeping up with their canine friends is the co-owner mother and daughter duo of Amy and Logan Nissen. Like many in the pet grooming field, Logan’s start to this new business venture stemmed from her love of animals.

    Splash into the summer months with our second annual Splash of Summer special section, included in this week's edition! You'll find details on a multitude of ways to enjoy those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, and all within an hour's drive of your home in Hamilton County. Read about festive summer celebrations coming your way and attractions and activities of all kinds to help you enjoy the great outdoors or experience the great indoors.

    Twenty-two High Plains Community seniors made sure to take extra time and look around Saturday afternoon, not wanting to miss the moment. For the last time as students, the HPC Class of 2025 gathered in the Polk gym Saturday for graduation commencement to celebrate, reminisce and anticipate the future. First-year Supt. Jason Brown welcomed those in attendance, noting that this group of graduating seniors had collected nearly $500,000 in scholarships.

    Amid smiles, laughter and tears, both happy and sad, 14 Hampton Hawks left the nest Saturday afternoon as the community came together to celebrate the Class of 2025. From the hugs, flower pinnings and one last official all-class photo in the Career Education Room, to the ringing of the old school bell, the speeches and songs in the gym, to the hugs and pictures outside at the end, Hampton’s 2025 graduation ceremony was a celebration of the shared history and accomplishments of the small group.

    The plan unveiled last month to save and restore Hampton’s crumbling 1893 opera house building turned out to be short-lived. At Monday’s Hampton Village Board meeting, Chairman Dylan Bamesberger reported that Erik Hanson of Aurora had withdrawn his proposal outlined at last month’s meeting to buy and renovate the building. Prior to that meeting the board had been planning to demolish the building after an engineer’s inspection had determined it to be unsafe and a hazard.

    Brenda Klawonn’s lesson plans for teaching American history at Aurora High School the past 24 years go well beyond memorizing dates, names and significant events dating back to the post-Civil War era. Her goal has always been to help students find a connection that helps bring history to life. “Kids think history happens somewhere else,” Klawonn observed. “They’re not part of history, at least that’s the way I feel with most of my students. So for me, figuring out how I can get their interest is important, having that multi-generational connection so they can ask questions.”

    You'll find it all in the print and e-editions this week's Aurora News Register!